Edward f



new sans EDWARD F. GILBERT, OF LYONS, NE.W YORK.

Letters Patent No. 91,737, dated .Tune 22, 1869.

ALPHABETICAL INs'rUcTIoN-Puzznz..

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the name.

To all whom it 'ma/y concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. GILBERT, of Lyons, in the county of Wayne, and in the State of New York, have invented an Improved Alphabetical Instruction- Puzzle; and do .hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this speciiication, in which- Figure 1 is a plan or top view.

Figure 2 is a central cross-section of the same, on

,the line z x of lig. 1.

` :A represents a frame, or case, containing three grooves, B B'B", arranged in parallel lines, the two outer grooves, B and B, being one-half the length of y the one in the centre,B, and containing a number of blocks, C O, &c., in length corresponding to the Width, and in thickness to the depth of said grooves. The blocks areieach of suicient width to receive a letter upon its upper face, as shown in fig. 1.

Secured upon the upper side of the partitions, between the groovesa a, and also upon the sides of the case, a a', are thin strips, or caps, b b, Ste., ,which extend over said grooves sufficiently to retain the blocks therein, while other strips, c c c, extend lengthwise through the centre of each groove, at its bottom, and t into coirespondin g channels in the under side of said blocks, to prevent the latter from turning, andenable them to retain at all times a position at right'angles tothe lineof said grooves.

The partitions a a and strips c and c do not extend the entire length of the grooves \B and B", but a sufficient space is left at either end, and through the strip o', to permit the blocks O C, Snc., to slide laterally across the case, so as to allow of their transfer from one groove to either of the others.

'Ihe length of the case should be such as that it may contain a sufficient number and assortment of letterblocks to permit the composition of ordinary words, for which` purpose the central portion of the middle groove B should be used, while the upper and lower grooves, and the ends of the middle groove, will serve for a case for holding such lettered blocks as are not 1n use.

It will be readily seen, that by transferring the le tered blocks not required from one groove to another, those desired may be liberated and placed in the composing-groove, and any word produced of which the assortment of letters will permit. Should itbe desired, Arabic or Roman numerals may be substituted for the letters, and amounts represented, in which the number of characters will only be limited by the capacity of the long groove.

It is believed that this device will prove of' great service to parents and others engaged in the education of children, as it furnishes instruction so com- .bined with amusement, as .to render its use a pleasure rather than a task.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The case A, divided into parallel grooves, by the Vpartitions a a, the latter beingprovided with caps, b l1,

on their upper edges, and in connection with the caps Ib b on the sides ot' the case, and the strips c c c secured to 'its' bottom, and iitting into corresponding groovesvin the bases of' the lettered blocks, prevent said blocks from falling out of the case, or becoming inverted therein, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that IA claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand, this 22d day of December,

EDWARD F. GILBERT. Witnesses:

WM. VAN MARTER, i T. W. COLLINS. 

